Kiteworld Issue #84 Released

2016 hasn’t been all bad. In the kitesurfing world there have been some astonishing feats.

Looking back, the sport is in an entirely better position than it was 12 months ago. The international competition scene is flourishing again, the world’s best riders have excellent platforms from which to wow us, the young racing speedsters have had their places in the Youth Olympic Games confirmed for 2018 and, in contrast to the world’s generally gloomy headlines, news of positive developments in kitesurfing keep coming for us lovers of wind over water.

Matchu Lopes, Bruna Kajiya, Alex Pastor, Sam Light and Karolina Winkowska have all achieved remarkable international success in 2016 and in the new issue we get insight as to how their battles played out to often thrilling conclusions.

We’d all like to rip like the pros, but our progress comes step by step and often the most difficult thing is knowing what to focus on next and how to go about making improvements.

One of the first things to appreciate is that we’re very often faced with 18 – 20 knot winds wherever we might kite in the world. All too often however we watch video of riders boosting huge in almost impossibly strong winds. Jumping is the reason that most of us got into kitesurfing, so we recruited big air bandit Lewis Crathern to run through some key elements and skills to make going big in regular conditions an easy possibility.

The back roll handplant kite loop is a sure fire way to impress anyone… and it’s not beyond the realms of intermediates to learn. You stay hooked in, it involves progression from the basic back loop and then largely relies on timing and a confident mind set. And that’s about it. Steven Akkersdijk fills you with the confidence to try it this issue.

Equipment-wise we happily investigate an emerging trend in greener surfboard production and our autumn-winter kite steeds on test have been the Liquid Force NV, North Dice and RRD Passion.

For the travellers amongst you, this issue we expose the delights of Aruba in the Caribbean and Los Barriles in Baja, two incredible destinations for freeriders looking for slightly different things from their holidays.

Elsewhere Kevin and Jalou Langeree find the most kite-surfable waves in Madagascar, we discover kitesurfing development and the effects of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti and we drool at the skills of Liam Whaley in Greece who stomped his way onto the cover.

Reap the rewards of Kiteworld’s delicious charms this winter. Plus we’ve included a Christmas gift guide, all the usual schmutter, column inches and graphic action glory that make Kiteworld the most must-have reading companion.

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